Apparatus for utilizing exhaust-steam.



H. H. WAIT. APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING EXHAUST STEAM.

IIPLIGATION FILED SEPT.30, 1908.

. Patented 0013. 26, 1909.

scrption. Y

ITED STA ne wird* orricnI ,neuer 1u. were, or euronet), initruors.k

meesteres ron emmer-ue @gunner-ernten.

`uneeieeton of Letters Eeteut.

Patented 26, twig,

.application filed september 3o, :1.905. Serial No. 455,565.

lng. is a futbol-ear, concise, und exact de This .invention relates to a system for utilizing exhaust steam, 1n which e low-pressure turbine or other secondary engine 1s opeieted b'y steam from an equalizer which eilpply engine :telle below the required amount, or is interrupted iii-turn is supplied, intermittently or other- Wise, yvitl'eshuuet steam :trom e primary .envite .ity object is to provide an improved system. or organization ot apparatus of this character which Will automatic-,elly maintain proper conditions for the continuous, etti cient and regalar operation of the turbine or secondary engine, inv spite of Wide variations and interruptions in the quantity and prossurc of the exhaust steam supplied :trom the primary engine.

One feature of the invention relates to an improved means for preventing back flow of -ivater from the steam equalizer to the primary engine which might occur during e stoppage or" the letter.

Another feature consists in the provision of improved means :tor supplying; heat to the equalizer so that the latter may be operated as a secondary generator of sten-m when the of exhuust steam from the primary Another :feature reletes to the equalizing of pressure of the-Stettin supplied to the turbine, and .the provention of undue surging ot pressure throughout the system, while still another feature consists in the .provision of improved means for automatically supplying to .the turbine or seconda-ry engine Ysteam from en independent source, `in quantities und et pressures just suiticient lto meet the demands of such engine in case of overload, and to compensate tor variations in the.

supply received from the equalizer.

` I Will describe my invention more particularly by reference yto the accompanying drawing, which is a. diagram indicating the principal or essential elements of the sys-V tem and their relations to one enothen The primary engine 2, which is Supplied with steam from the boiler l, discharges its exhaust steam into e pipe 3 which leads to the upper part ot e. trop or vessel d. An- .otherv pipe 5 leeds from the upper part Iof this trap to the steamequalizer 6 which thus. 60

serves as a receiver 'for exhaust steam from the primary engine. The trap Il hes an automatic ydischarge valve 7 adapt/ed to preventvtlie water in the trap from rising to :t

level at which it might enter-the pipes 3 65 U and 5, the valve' being opened by a tloat 8 when the level of the Water rises above e given point. Steam is conducted from the receiver or equalizer 5 through e trap 9.

similar to the trap 4, und thence by a pipe 10 to a lowpressure turbine or other secondary engineA 19 which is operated thereby, said turbine 19 discharging its exhaust into a condenser l1. An automatic relieiA valve 12 is provided between the exhaust of the '75 primary engine and the equalizer, being preferably located justin advance of the trap Li. Yllhisvalve is adjusted to open and permit the escape of steam in case of eX- cessive pressure or surges ot the steam delivered by the exhaust ot-the primary engine, but in the normal operation of the system will remain closed. A similar automatic relief ,vulve 13 is provided between the equalizer and the turbine, preferably just in ad- Vance of the turbine, this valve 13 being adjusted to open upon an increase of pressure considerably less than that Which will causo the other valve 12 to open. The valve 13 is for the purpose of relieving the turbine end the equalizer from any undue increaee in pressure which might be caused by the delivery of more steam from the equalizer than the demands ot the turbine require.

YThis relief valve will remain open as long as the supply of steam from the equalizer in excess of that required to carry the load on. the turbine.

The steam equalizer 6 is u device adapted to receive exhaust steam in intermittent pufisfrom a primary engine, equalize the pressure thereof, store up the heat ot such steam, as in a body of water maintained at approximately the boiling tempeiuture,I and deliver a substantially constantsupply ut a low pressure---preferubly about atmospheric Aploessuree-t'o the secondary engine or tur bine, c "iccordinfr to the Idemands ofthe latter und practically indeywiident ot thc regularity .or irregularity oit the exhaust steam furnished to the equalizer by the primary engine. F or this purpose the steam regenerator or accumulator of Rateaus patent-No. $39,320, dated December 25, '1906, may be employed; but l prefer to malte use instead ol the steam equalizer of my "application, Serial Nof 455,564, tiled `-September 30, 1908. So l'ar as the present invention is concerned.,

however, the particular typebt apparatus 6 to be employed is, generally speaking, immaterial, provided it be capable of performing' the functions stated. irdinarily such apparatus may comprise a body of water or other fluid adaptedto stor'up the. heat from the exhaust steam which is intimately mingled therewith, ,the water being maintained a proximately at the temperature ot vaporization so that upon an decrease in pressure caused by the with rawal of steam to operate the turbine, additional steaniwould be immediately produced from the heated water to supply the demand until equilibrium should again be established.- Such generation of steam from the heated water in the equalizer would take place principally during the periods of interruption in the supply .of exhaust steam received by the equalizer trom the primary engine. To maintain conditions such that steam may always be generated from the Water in the equalizer upon a fall of pressure therein, l provide, in accordance with `this invention, a supplementary means of supplyi Ig heat to said equalizer, with automatic egulating mechanism responsive' 'to variatins in the temperature in the `interior of theequalizer, 'for controllino such supplementary supply of heat. As shown in the drawing a thermostat le which is connected with the interior of' the equalizer, near the bottom thereof, so as to be responsive to variations in the temperature of the cooler portions of the water, is arranged to control a valve 15 in a pipe 16 which serves to convey hot water from the boiler l to the lower portioni ori the equalizer G. The thermostat is arranged in a well known way to automatically open the valve-15 and admit hot water (or other fluid) to the equalizer when the' temperature in the latter falls below a predetermined point. rllhus in case the primary engine should be shut down for a period longer than that at which the equalizer would con- ,tinue to generate steam from the previouslyreceived exhaust, the thermostat would automatically cause hot water or steam to be supplied direct from the boiler, to maintain the water in the equalizer at approximately the boiling point. i

Another feature of the' invention consists in the provision of improved means for supplying live steam direct from the boiler to the turbine to operate the latter in case of severe overloul or in case of failure oit thc equalizer to maintain a proper working supply of steam. As shown, a pipe 17 leads 'from the boiler to a number ot` automatic rcd ucing-valve 18 which are adapted to deliver steam trom said pipe to the pipe 10 leading to the turbine 19. The operating cylinders of these automatic valves are connected to a pressure pipe Q0 leading from the turbine 19 near the inlet port thereof, or to any point between the equalizer and the turbine at which it is desired to maintain an approximately constant pressure. These automatic lsteam supply valves or reducing valves 18 are set tolopen at ditlerent pressures, so that upon a continuous tall of' pressure they will open consecutively, supplying more and more steam from the pipe 17 until the demands of the turbine are fully met. One ot' the advantages of this arrangement of a plurality of steam-supply valves of comparatively small individual capacity, setto open at different pressures, is that the steam is supplied to the turbine more gradually and with less shock than would be the case with a single valve of larger capacity.

l claim:

1. ln a system for utilizing exhaust steam, the combination with a receiver containing` a body of fluid for absorbing the heat troni such exhaust steam and means forconductring regenerated steam from said receiver, ot supplemental means for heating such fluid, and automatic regulating apparatus :tor said supplemental means, responsive to variations in temperature of the colder portion of, such body of fluid.

2. ln a system for utilizing exhaust steam the combination with a receiver for exhaust steam having fluid therein adapted to absnrb the heat from such steam, and means i'or conducting regenerated steam from said receiver, of means for supplying hot luid to said receiver and automatic means res onsive to variations of temperature of the co der portions of the fluid in the receiver for regulating the supply of hot fluid.

3. ln a system for utilizing exhaust steam the combination with a steam equalizer and means for conducting steam from said equalizer, of means for supplying heated 'luid to ysaid equalizer, a thermostat responsive to changes in the temperature within the colder portions of the equalizer, and an automatic valve controlled by said thermostat 'for regulating the admission of heated fluid.

Il. In a system for utilizing exhaust steam, the combination with a receiver vfor such steam, containing a body of water adapted to absorb the heat thereoi means for conducting steam from said receiver, a source of hot water, a pipe adapted to supply hot water from said source to the receiver, an automatic valve in said pipe governing the water supply, and a thermostatic device responsive to variations in the'temperature of the colder portions of the body of water in said receiver, for governing said automatic valve.

cease?- 5. In a system for utilizing exhaust steam, l and a series of automatic relief valves for the combination with a primary engine, of a steam equalizer arranged to receive exhaustl steam from said engine, said equalizer having a body of water therein. adapted to absorb the heat from such steam, a secondary engine connected to receive steam from said equalizer,.relief valve mechanism for relieving surplus pressure in said system, a tank connected between said primary engine and said equalizer adapted to collect any water which may flow back from the.equalizer toward said engine, and means for discharging the accumulated fluid from said tank.

6. ln a system for utilizing exhaust steam, the combination with a steam engine, ofa steam equalizer arranged to receive exhaust steam from said engine, said equalizer having a body of water therein, relief valve mechanism for lrelieving surplus pressure in said system, a trap connected between said engine and said equalizer by piping openingA near the top of said trap, and an automatic v discharge-valve forsaid trap adapted to prevent the water accumulated therein from rising to a level at which it would enter said piping.

7. In a system the combination, with a steam equalizer and means for supplying steam thereto, said equalizer containing a body of water adapted to absorb the heat of such steam, of a secondary engine, relief valve mechanism for relieving surplus pressure in said system, a

trap, piping adapted to conduct steam from said equalizer through said trap to the engine, said trap having an automatic discharge valve adapted to prevent the water accumulated therein from rising to a level high enough to enter the piping leading to the engine.

8..;The combination with a primary engine, of a steam equalizer receiving exhaust steam therefrom, a secondary engine operated by exhaust steam from said equalizer,

for utilizing exhaust steam, i

the steam, at intermediate points' between the primary and secondary engines, said relief valves being adapted to open 'at different pressures.

9. The combination with a primary engine, of a steam equalizer receiving exhaust steam therefrom, a secondary engine adapted to be operated by exhaust steam from said equalizer, an automatic relief valve between the primary engine and the equalizer, and a second automatic relief valve between the equalizer and the secondary engine, said second relief valve being adapted to open at a lower pressure than that at which the first valveA opens.

10. The combination with a steam equalizer and a secondary engine operated by .steam'therefrom, of an independent source y of steam, and a. plurality of automatic valves adapted to govern the supply of steam from said independent source to said engine, said valves beingset to open successively at different falls of pressure of the steam which is delivered to said engine.

l1. The combination with a primary engine, of a steam equalizer arranged to recei've exhaust steam from said engine, said equalizer having a body `of water therein adapted to absorb the heat from such steam, supplemental means for supplying hot fluid to said receiver at the lower portion thereof, automatic means responsive to variations in tempera-tures in the colder portions of the receiver for regulating the supply of such hot fluid, and a secondary engine connected to receive steam from said equalizer.

In witness whereof, I, hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of September A. D., 1908.

HENRY n. warr. Witnesses:

Gno. C. Davison, ALFRED H. Moonn. 

